Retreat
Embracing Health, Embracing Life!
A six day detox, healing and renewal retreat.
When do you ever get the time to just rest?
To take time out, just for you?
To be nurtured,
to learn,
to heal,
to relax among friends,
to be inspired…
– to just BE!
Leisa Wheeler, founder of Embracing Health, is proud to announce the creation of a fresh, innovative style of luxury health retreat. Departing from the rigid ways of “right” and “wrong” that have pervaded the older mind-sets of healing, Leisa has brought to life a new approach to the concept of a healing retreat - designing a program that empowers participants with knowledge that opens them to a higher awareness of what healing really means.
Not bound by any one strict doctrine, Leisa has woven together the best of the natural medicine world, blending the fields of detoxification, the secrets of superfoods, the art of raw vegan gourmet cuisine, and the healing power of whole foods, into a delightful six day living experience of food as medicine.
Healing with whole food is only one part of the Embracing Life! Retreat, where as much emphasis is placed on feeding the mind, understanding the emotions, and nurturing the soul, as in supporting the body.
Daily lectures on a range of health subjects cut through the confusion; yoga and meditative walks centre the mind; healing massage soothes the body; discussions on the role of emotional healing provides sustenance for the soul; and plenty of personal time gives you the space to really rest…
With dedicated attention to every detail of your six day renewal retreat, you will find the information, the luxury settings in exclusive boutique resorts around Australia, the food, the support, the whole experience – will surpass every expectation you ever had about what a week in a healing space should be.
You deserve to take some time out, to experience the divine combination of pampering, detoxification, education, rest and inspiration that a week with Leisa and her team will bring.
We look forward to seeing you there…
Dear Friends,
Thank you for being here, to read more about my “passion project” – my six day detox, healing
and renewal retreats.
For the past 20 years I have been an enthusiastic student of natural medicine, personal development, emotional healing, raw food therapy, metaphysics and much, much more.
This fascination has lead me on a journey to sort through the masses of conflicting information on health, and search for the gems of wisdom that can make a true difference in people’s lives.
This journey culminated in my working for over three years as the consulting naturopath for Hippocrates Health Centre of Australia, a raw, vegan detoxification retreat based on the living food philosophy of Ann Wigmore. There I was able to utilise many of my skills – supporting people through the detox process, lecturing on the principles of health and the emotional aspects of healing, and counseling people on health and life matters.
This part of my journey ended when the owners of Hippocrates retired and closed the retreat part of their business – but my passion for educating people on health and healing could not be quenched, so I decided to continue my life’s work and created my own retreat program, that can be run anywhere that a group of like-minded people would like to participate.
I have incorporated all the elements that will transform your week away into an incredible life-changing, experience:
- the vitality and energy that you will feel after a week of cleansing on whole, raw gourmet foods;
- the wealth of information you will receive not just in the daily lectures, but by being a part of a friendly group discussing all manner of healing concepts;
- the nurturing you will receive in your intuitively tailored massage;
- the inspiration you will gain in the presentations on emotional healing and the guided meditations;
- the body awareness from yoga, walks in nature, sauna and pool time;
- and the rejuvenation from plenty of personal space to rest, sleep, journal or lay by the pool in the sun.
After six days of dedicated attention from myself and my team, you will feel ready to leap, turbo-charged back into life!
No matter whether you are looking to learn about healing because of an illness, or just for your own and your family’s benefit; whether you just want a healing place to have a break and do a wholesome detox; or whether you just want to rest and relax where everything is provided for you – you will find it at the Embracing Life! Retreat.
Let me go into a bit more detail about what you will enjoy as a guest of my retreat.
Luxury…
Being a Taurean, I am a lover of luxury, and I strongly feel that if we are detoxing and healing, then let it be in the very best of surroundings. My commitment is to source those beautiful boutique resort locations around Australia (and overseas), that can cater for small groups of no more than 20 people and accommodate us in a setting that is uplifting and inspiring.
My background prior to becoming a Naturopath, was in hospitality, and I have worked in the management team of some beautiful 5 star hotels across Australia. I know those special touches that turn a stay from just accommodation, into an experience where you feel valued and all your needs are met. That is my aim in searching out those special places to hold my retreat, that will enhance our event and be a part of the enjoyment.
The week will feel like a luxury holiday – not a dismal and regimented boot camp – but at the same time you will be enrolled in a health program that will leave you feeling more refreshed than any holiday you have ever been on. And you will be surprised at how affordable the luxury retreats will be.
Check out the location for the September 14th – 20th retreat and you will understand the type of setting and the atmosphere that will be a signature part of the Embracing Life! Retreat experience.
The Food…
The food will be magnificent!
Yes, we will be doing some juice fasting, but don’t be alarmed. We will be using the freshest organic ingredients to make a variety of healing and tasty juices that will be nourishing and surprisingly satisfying.
You will be amazed at how filling the juices can be – and they will be served several times a day to make sure that you are not going hungry!
You will also learn about the art of juicing, and which combinations of ingredients can support particular areas and functions of the body – and you will be sampling and enjoying these different recipes and tastes.
On the other days we will be enjoying the finest in gourmet raw food – you won’t believe that raw food can taste so good! Continuing on with the detox and healing process, there will be no animal products, no dairy and the food will also be gluten free. We will also keep fats to a minimum to enhance the rejuvenating powers of the food.
But that doesn’t mean that the food will be without taste or flavour! Following on from a simple but nourishing breakfast and lunch, and a scrumptious morning and afternoon tea - we will be providing full three course dinners of an evening to showcase the range of creative dishes that you can easily prepare from whole, healthful foods.
Not only will you be sitting down to these imaginative and appetising meals, but you will be participating in gourmet raw food preparation classes that take you step by step through the process of creating these simple, tasty dishes. You will be shown the ingredients, you will receive the recipes, and will be able to watch the process of putting the meals together and what kitchen tools are used.
This will be an invaluable part of the program that equips you with a good knowledge of how to incorporate fresh whole foods into a variety of uncomplicated recipes that the whole family will enjoy. Along with the food preparation classes, will be hand-outs of the recipes, information on sourcing the ingredients and the kitchen tools, and a pantry list to help you in preparing a healthy kitchen.
During the week I will be presenting a lecture on Superfoods – those foods with powerful healing properties that can make an impressive impact on your health when included as a part of your daily diet. You will get to sample some of these foods, and learn about their individual benefits and qualities.
We will also discuss food as medicine and different dietary healing regimes. We will discuss why people heal on a variety of diets – from macrobiotic to ayurvedic, to Weston A. Price to raw vegan, and we will see what elements they have in common and what type of program has the most powerful healing benefits.
Rather than laying down a doctrine for you to live by for life, we will explore our own body’s wisdom when it comes to food, we will look at the social, ritual, pleasure and nurturing aspects of food in our lives and what the marketing of food as a commodity rather than as life-giving sustenance, has done to the quality of our health.
Also on the theme of food, we will be screening the excellent and very relevant DVD “Food Matters” which will continue building on your knowledge of healing through food.
By the end of the week, not only will you feel fabulous from your detox, but after separating the truth from the hype, you will also feel very comfortable in being able to make good food choices for yourself and your family, with no stress and confusion.
Let’s find the delight in food again…
The Activities…
My goal is to find the balance between rest and activity, group interaction and personal time – so there will be a daily program schedule that encompasses both.
You will start off each day with some movement – either a gentle yoga class with our experienced instructor, or a brisk walk in nature or on the beach. After our bodies are awake, we will all enjoy breakfast, and then have free time until the first lecture of the day.
Interwoven between lectures, food prep classes, meals and evening gatherings, will be free time for swimming in the pool, soaking up the sun, detoxing in the sauna, receiving your massage, sleeping, resting or reading, writing in your journal, meditating or enjoying a discussion with your fellow participants.
Our evening get-togethers will feature either a meditation, a group discussion or we will watch a DVD on an interesting aspect of health.
The focus is on rest and rejuvenation, so no heavy exercise classes or vigorous activities are planned, but there is enough in the schedule to keep you from ever being bored!
The Lectures…
I think we can do better than to give away our power and follow teachers or healers who market themselves as the guru with all the answers, proclaiming that if the devout followers heed what they have to say, then eternal health will be theirs.
My philosophy and mind-set are along a different path, and my aim is to empower people with enough knowledge for them to be able to make their own informed decisions about their health. To be able to ask the right questions and not get blinded by any one guru, book or concept with slick marketing techniques.
During the retreat, my extensive knowledge and research on health and healing will be presented – not as a strict doctrine to follow - but as a summation of what I have discovered over the years to be the most honest and useful information. You will be encouraged to question, explore and challenge the ideas presented, and to discover your own truth’s within my findings.
You are your own best healer!
There will either be two lectures each day, or one lecture and one food preparation class, and we will cover subjects ranging from:
- food as medicine
- stress and fatigue
- thyroid, adrenal and hormonal issues
- weight loss
- the role of detoxification
- orthodox versus alternative medicine
- superfoods and antifoods
- exercise
- the emotional aspects of healing
- owning our own goddess power (ladies only!)
- healing philosophy
- abundant vitality!
- the gut and the liver
- non-toxic personal care and cleaning products
- and much, much more!
Comprehensive notes and workbooks will accompany each lecture, with references, website links and further reading to encourage your own exploration of these areas.
I love to teach, so I am sure you will find my lectures entertaining, thought provoking and inspiring!
Of course, because myself and my team are with you for the whole length of the retreat, there will no doubt be discussions on a wide range of subjects outside of the lectures, and a lot of learning and knowledge will be shared during these times as well.
The Detox…
A detox is simply an opportunity to give your body a break from the rigours of day to day life and to give it the space to do what it does best, which is to heal.
By eliminating from the diet for a few days, foods that contains toxins, hard to digest elements, fats that overload the liver and removing you from the stresses of your everyday life; we allow the body to move into “repair and rejuvenate” mode. Supporting this process with dense but easy to digest nutrition, and supporting the pathways of elimination, we need not make detoxification a miserable experience.
One very pleasant way of ensuring that toxins are being excreted from the body, is through the daily use of a far-infrared sauna. Many toxins and heavy metals can be excreted through the skin, and a far infrared sauna is the ideal way to support the detoxification process. A sauna will increase the core body temperature to induce a deeper sweat than just from the skin surface.
I am very pleased to announce that Sunlight Saunas will be a feature of the retreat, and they will be sharing with us the very best in far infrared sauna technology. You will be able to enjoy the advantage of relaxing in one of their sauna’s during your Embracing Life! Retreat.
Sunlight Saunas will be setting up a three person and a single person sauna unit for us to use, and they will also have one of their expert staff hold a short talk on the health benefits of the far infrared sauna. During the retreat you will be encouraged to use the sauna daily to support your healing regime.
With all that detoxing, replacing fluid loss becomes a very important consideration. To ensure that you are able to rehydrate healthfully, Grander Water Technology are supplying us with a filter that will enable us all to drink beautiful quality water during the retreat.
You will also be able to learn about the importance of good quality water, and about the options for treating water that contains fluoride – which is becoming a very real issue for those of us in Queensland who have not had to deal with this problem before.
In Summary…
By now I hope you have a feel for what I have created here with my Embracing Life! Retreat, and are looking for the specifics of how it all comes together. I would love nothing more than to share these special six day retreats with you, so here is the information that you require.
There is only one price to pay that includes everything you need for the week. No add-ons, no surprises. Your one price of $1350 +GST includes: (see early bird specials below!)
- Luxury accommodation for six nights
- All food and drinks from Sunday evening to Saturday morning, including Grander Water
- All activities including Yoga
- A one hour healing massage
- Unlimited use of Sunlight Sauna
- Unlimited use of resort facilities
- All workbooks and lecture notes
- A gift bag on arrival containing lots of free goodies!
(Transport, phone calls, and extra services are at your own expense)
Where?
The retreats are being held regularly around Australia in any area that has a group of 10 -20 people wanting to experience the Embracing Life! detox, healing and renewal retreat.
We will be travelling to the major centres in almost every state, saving you the time and expense of traveling a long distance to find this type of world-class education and experience.
To ensure that the Embracing Life! Retreat comes to your area, if participating in this life changing program appeals to you, then it is essential that you register an expression of interest below.
If you sit back and wait for me to announce a date for example, in Canberra, and I don’t know that you are interested, I may never go there!
By quickly registering your interest by State below, it will give me a guideline as to the places that have groups of keen people, and I can keep in contact with you when I announce dates in those areas.
Sunshine Coast, QLD
14th – 20th September 2008
My launch of the Embracing Life! Retreat is on the beautiful Sunshine Coast of Queensland at Coolum Beach, 14th – 20th September 2008. It is being held at the stunning Nirvana Luxor Resort and once you register to attend the retreat, more specific details about the venue will be sent to you.
To keep the retreats warm and personal, I am limiting numbers to a maximum of 20, so places will fill very fast. I am also offering a special early bird price of a $150 discount for the first six people who book and pay in full before the 31st of July, for the September Sunshine Coast event.
This brings the price for the week down to just $1200 +GST for six lucky people!
To book in for the retreat, just click below and it will take you to a page where there are two different payment options. The first one is payment in full with the early bird special price for the first six to book in before the end of July. The second is a payment option of a 50% deposit now to secure your place and the other 50% paid in full a week prior to the commencement of the retreat.
SOLD OUT!
This retreat is completely booked out, so if you were interested in coming to a QLD retreat, you can still click on the order button above, and that will take you to the “Expressions of Interest” page. If you enter your details there, as soon as I release the November Gold Coast event, you will be the first to know. Also, if I happen to have a cancellation and a space for the September Sunshine Coast event becomes available, I will also be contacting that list first.
I know the value that you will receive from your Embracing Life! Retreat, will be life-changing and a week that you will treasure.
Perth, WA
19th – 25th October 2008
October sees myself and my select team travelling to the other side of the country to bring the Embracing Life! Retreat to WA!
We will be holding the retreat at the gorgeous Sunmoon Resort on the Sunset Coast, at Western Australia’s famous Scarborough Beach. Once you register for the event, further details about the venue will be sent to you. Please note that at this resort it will be shared accommodation. The rooms are spacious two bedroom, one bathroom apartments, meaning that guests will have their own private bedroom, but will be sharing a bathroom with one other guest.
As with all my retreats, I am limiting numbers to a maximum of 20, so places will fill very fast. This Perth retreat is only $50 more than the QLD one, and I am also offering my special early bird price of a $150 discount for the first six people who book and pay in full for the October WA event.
This brings the price for the week down to just $1250 + GST for six lucky people!
To book in for this retreat, just click below and it will take you to a page where there are two different payment options. The first one is payment in full with the early bird special price for the first six to book in. The second is a payment option of a 50% deposit now to secure your place and the other 50% paid in full a week prior to the commencement of the retreat.
Bookings for this retreat will be closing on the 7th of September.
Gold Coast or Canberra? You choose!
16th – 22th November 2008
Let me know which area has the most interest and we’ll be there!
Register an expression of interest below, and I will announce the location and venue as soon as there is a clear winner!
2009 Australia wide (and international) locations and dates will be available late this year.
Thank you…
I love what I do, and I hope that you take the opportunity to share some time with us.
Leisa
For enquiries, e-mail: info@embracinghealth.com.au
To be nurtured,
to learn,
to heal,
to relax among friends,
to be inspired…
– to just BE!
